GENEVA – Voters will choose Geneva's next mayor and will ultimately decide the makeup of the next City Council during the April 4 consolidated election.

With 5th Ward Alderman Tom Simonian seeking to unseat incumbent Mayor Kevin Burns for the city’s top spot, all five wards also have a contest.

“Our spirit of teamwork, volunteerism, collaboration with all stakeholders has been, and remains, the very hallmark of our community – the very brand of Geneva,” Burns said at a League of Women Voters forum earlier this month. “We are a revered and respected suburb of nearly 22,000 residents and more than 1,000 businesses.”

Burns said Geneva is “the premier destination for shopping, dining and entertainment.”

“Our success is not by accident. It’s by strategic planning,” Burns said. “It’s thoughtful development and redevelopment, sincere engagement, mutual respect with the [Geneva] Chamber of Commerce and civic entities.”

Burns said the city has withstood unprecedented challenges.

“Moving forward, I want to provide the same leadership I have provided, by helping steer Geneva to greater success through experienced, effective and engaged leadership,” Burns said. “The Geneva brand is strong. The Geneva brand is vibrant.”

A local businessman, Simonian said he was raised in Worcester, Mass., and developed an entrepreneurial spirit at age 12 with his brother, as they flooded their backyard and pulled up nightcrawlers to sell to fishermen every morning.

Burns appointed Simonian to the council in 2013.

Regarding the roles of city staff and elected officials, Simonian said the city’s organizational chart is upside down.

“I believe in the last eight years, because of the leadership, the city staff is running the city and we are not doing what is in the best interests of the citizens,” Simonian said. “My intention is to get it back on track, to get the citizens on top in every decision made in the best interests of the citizens.”

Burns replied that within the first 10 pages of the city budget that the citizens are listed at the top, then the City Council then the staff.

“If we are not wise enough to invest our faith or our confidence in the professional staff that we currently have in place, utilizing their talent and expertise to provide us with counsel and advice to make the best decision possible – then let’s get rid of them,” Burns said.

“But the reality is, folks, they are experts. They are professionals. They have the best interests of the city at heart,” Burns said.

Simonian said that he has been saying “for four years now, we need to run government like a business.”

As city spending has increased, so have property taxes, while sales taxes have gone down, Simonian said.

“And all you want to do is tax and tax and tax and more fees and more fees and more fees,” Simonian said. “This is why we have to get a grip on this, and I believe running it more like a business will ... not tax all of us out of our homes.”

Burns said the city is “in the business of” providing public safety, reliable electricity and safe roads.

1st Ward

In the 1st Ward, incumbent Mike Bruno, who is finishing his first term, is facing challenger Mike Olesen.

Both men own their own businesses, with Bruno having corporate experience as a computer engineer and Olesen owning Stockholm’s restaurant in Geneva and an investment company.

“In my time on the council, working with municipal professionals and my own studies, [that gives] me a broader understanding of a lot of the complex things that mesh for a functioning municipality,” Bruno said.

“I have a good understanding of development, property value," Bruno said. “I’ve got just one goal being on the City Council and that is to work to leave a community for our children and grandchildren that they would love our community as much as we love our community."

Olesen, a lifelong resident of Geneva, said he is active in the community and talks to city employees from those in public works to officers on patrol.

“I spend seven days a week walking around downtown Geneva, meeting and talking to the residents … and city workers,” Olesen said. “I have a very good handle of what is going on in the streets of Geneva.”

Olesen acknowledged that the council recently changed its ordinances to allow a liquor license holder, such as himself, to serve as an alderman. He said many people encouraged him to run.

“I want to seek your voice, seek your involvement, and I want us, together, to make Geneva the best place that it can be,” Olesen said. “We have a great community here. And the best way to have a good government is when everyone is involved.”

2nd Ward

In the 2nd Ward, incumbent Richard Marks is facing challenger Michael Clements.

Both have backgrounds in finance, as Marks is a certified public accountant, and Clements works in quantitative finance.

Marks, who has served as an alderman since 2009, said he is focused on cutting non-essential city spending, looking at “needs, not wants.”

Marks said he also supports more government transparency through better communication.

“We need to communicate better about upcoming projects,” Marks said. “Not at the 11th hour when it’s time for a vote, when residents come to City Hall with shovels and pitchforks. We’ve seen that happen.”

Bottom line, Marks said he has been in Geneva 26 years and he understands “that it’s not all about money.”

“It’s about staff and citizens and building a community,” Marks said. “Let’s face it, money makes the world go around. … You have to know how to spend it and be accountable to the citizens.”

Clements did not come to the earlier forum because of a trip that had already been planned.

However, in a candidate profile provided to the Kane County Chronicle, Clements stated that he chose to run for office to add more diversity to the council.

“The current council is disproportionately underweighted in the decision-making process regarding the community’s future for the city’s younger constituents,” Clements wrote. “New voices, different perspectives, and fresh ideas are crucial elements in ensuring that Geneva will continue to thrive and prosper.”

3rd Ward

In the 3rd Ward, incumbent Mary Seno is facing challenger Becky Hruby.

Seno was appointed in 2014.

“During my term, we have had many new department heads. … I believe I have a comfortable rapport [with] all of these new leaders,” Seno said. “That is why I feel it is important for me to stay in my role. It takes time to learn how city government runs – meetings, commissions, budgets. But most important is finding out what is on the minds of constituents and helping them with their concerns.”

Hruby worked in her neighborhood, Geneva East, to get the Manchester alley replaced in 2009.

“All the alleys in my subdivision had been replaced except for mine, which was the oldest and in the worst shape,” Hruby said. “Our alley was cut from the proposed budget. I rallied together a group of neighbors, got into the City Hall, met with the City Council and public works.”

Eventually, the new alley was put in, she said.

But the reason Hruby said she is seeking a seat on the council is because there is only one other council member with school-age children.

“I represent that demographic as well,” Hruby said. “Geneva’s population is 40 percent families. Balance is really important … and I would offer that balance.”

4th Ward

Fourth Ward Alderman Ron Singer, who was first elected in 1997 and is seeking a sixth term, is facing a challenge from Jeanne McGowan.

A Korean War veteran, Singer was a high school teacher for 34 years.

“I am the senior council member. … I am the go-to guy on that council,” Singer said. “I respond greatly to not only my constituents, but many of the residents in the community.”

McGowan said she wanted to give back to the city that has met and exceeded her expectations, after moving to Geneva 11 years ago.

“I will serve as an independent voice on City Council," McGowan said. "I would be well-equipped to represent the wishes of 4th Ward residents when City Council decisions are being made.”

The City Council should better reflect the population of the city it serves, McGowan said.

“As a mother with two children, I will contribute to the diversity of viewpoints on City Council to better reflect our city’s population,” McGowan said. “I would strive to be a good steward of city tax dollars in order to maintain the excellent level of of city services that residents enjoy.”

5th Ward

Bob Swanson, who owns Riverbank Laboratories, which manufactures tuning forks, and local attorney Douglas Warlick, are both seeking the 5th Ward vacancy to be left by Simonian as he seeks to become mayor.

“I have an accounting degree … and I was a financial auditor with Price Waterhouse – I never worked on the Academy Awards,” Swanson said, getting a big laugh from the audience at the earlier forum. Price Waterhouse had recently been responsible for giving the wrong name for the Best Picture Award.

“There are no financial matters that scare me,” Swanson said. “I’m looking forward to digging into the financial issues of Geneva.”

Swanson has also served on the board of the Geneva History Museum from 2009 to 2016 as president and treasurer as well.

“It gave me a lot of information about the history and character of downtown of Geneva,” Swanson said. “I’d like to maintain that integrity.”

Warlick stood up and said, “I’ve been a trial attorney for 35 years. I’ve never given an opening statement while sitting down,” getting a big laugh from the audience.

“You probably can’t go wrong with anyone up here,” Warlick said of his fellow aldermanic hopefuls.

“Probably everyone up here is going to do a good job,” Warlick said. “There is one thing that distinguishes me from everybody else. I am the luckiest guy in the world. I have been blessed with the most incredible wife … a successful law practice. … Now at the age of 60, I have the time and the ability to give back to the community.”